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Roads Ministry did not breach procurement laws in Big Push contracts – Felix Ofosu Kwakye
The government has dismissed allegations of procurement breaches in the award of contracts under the Big Push infrastructure programme, saying an investigation found that the Ministry of Roads and Highways acted within the law.
Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, disclosed this at the Government Accountability Series held at the Jubilee House on Monday, June 15, 2026.
According to him, a 72-page report commissioned by President John Mahama found that the ministry followed all legal procedures in awarding contracts and did not abuse the single-source procurement process.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu explained that the investigation was initiated after the Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa raised concerns about the award of road contracts under the Big Push initiative.
He said the report established that out of 1,441 road contracts awarded by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, 1,301 were awarded through open and competitive tendering.
According to him, only 66 contracts, representing 4.58 per cent of the total contracts awarded, were procured through single sourcing.
“This demonstrates that competitive tendering remained the ministry’s overwhelming baseline norm,” he stated.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said the report concluded that the ministry did not violate the Public Procurement Act and had obtained the necessary approvals before awarding contracts through single sourcing or restricted tendering.
He explained that the use of single sourcing for some Big Push projects was driven by the need to accelerate road construction, address deteriorating road conditions, reduce project delays and control rising costs.
The minister addressed allegations of inconsistencies in project figures published by the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
He said investigators found that some of the perceived disparities resulted from different funding sources, including the Consolidated Fund and the Big Push Fund, rather than any financial wrongdoing.
On claims surrounding the rehabilitation of the Dodo Pepesu–Nkwanta Road, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said a reported discrepancy in the project cost was traced to a typographical error.
According to him, the official contract sum for the project was GH¢683.9 million, and any other figure that appeared elsewhere did not affect the legally approved contract amount.
He dismissed allegations that the omission of the letter “W” in the name of contractor Growth 82 Global Limited was an attempt to hide the company from public scrutiny.
The minister said investigators found no evidence to support that claim, noting that the contractor’s details were publicly available and visible at the project site.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu further stated that the report confirmed Growth 82 Global Limited was properly registered and had obtained the required contractor classification before the contract was awarded.
He added that the company won the contract through a restricted tendering process in which five companies were evaluated.
The minister rejected claims that some road projects were overpriced, explaining that the cost of road construction is determined by several factors, including terrain, drainage systems, bridges and the overall scope of work.
He said projects of similar length could have different costs because of variations in engineering requirements.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu noted that the report recommended stronger oversight of single-source contracts, including mandatory value-for-money assessments, cabinet approval for high-value contracts and increased public disclosure of procurement information.
He said the government welcomed the recommendations and would implement measures to strengthen transparency and accountability in public procurement.
The minister commended the Fourth Estate and the Media Foundation for West Africa for their role in promoting public accountability and exposing wrongdoing in the public sector.
According to him, while the report found no evidence of procurement breaches by the Ministry of Roads and Highways, it highlighted the need for greater transparency and stronger oversight mechanisms.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said President Mahama had accepted the report and its recommendations, adding that no further action would be taken because the evidence did not support the allegations made against the ministry.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced the commencement of enforcement of the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523), warning institutions that fail to comply with the new requirements of possible fines of up to 2,000 penalty units.
The Authority says it will deploy a Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force to inspect institutions and ensure they comply with the regulations, following the expiration of a three-month grace period granted to businesses and public institutions.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, November 2, 2026, the NIA’s Corporate Affairs representative, William Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, said the Authority had completed its public education and stakeholder engagement activities and was now moving into the enforcement and compliance monitoring phase.
He explained that the regulations require institutions that verify the identities of customers or applicants as part of their operations to use the NIA’s approved biometric verification platform instead of relying solely on visual inspection of the Ghana Card.
Under the new rules, institutions are prohibited from photocopying, scanning or keeping copies of the Ghana Card for identity verification purposes.
Mr Darlas stressed that simply collecting a customer’s Ghana Card, looking at the photograph and comparing it with the person presenting it would no longer be accepted as a valid method of identity verification.
He, however, clarified that the Ghana Card remains the country’s official national identity document and that citizens are not required to register for a new card or capture their biometrics again under the new regulations.
He said the new system is intended to reduce identity fraud, impersonation and other crimes by ensuring that the person presenting the Ghana Card is the actual owner.
According to him, the biometric verification process will rely on information already captured during Ghana Card registration, including fingerprints, iris details and facial features stored in the card’s chip.
Mr Darlas warned institutions against using third-party companies or individuals to access the NIA’s identity verification platform, insisting that the Authority does not work with intermediaries.
He said institutions seeking access to the National Identity Register must deal directly with the NIA and complete its official onboarding process.
The process requires institutions to prove that they are legally registered companies in Ghana, obtain certification from the Data Protection Commission and work with the NIA’s technical team to establish the necessary connection to its platform.
He further cautioned institutions already connected to the platform against subletting their access to other businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
He disclosed that the Authority had received reports of some institutions providing their verification services to other businesses without the NIA’s approval and warned that those involved would face legal action.
Mr Darlas said organisations that fail to comply with L.I. 2523 could face fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 penalty units, depending on the nature of the offence.
He explained that the NIA does not have the authority to impose the fines directly but would take offenders to court for the appropriate punishment.
He indicated that Institutions found guilty could also face additional administrative measures, including being barred from accessing the NIA’s verification platform in the future.
The NIA representative further clarified that the new regulations do not prohibit all institutions from physically using the Ghana Card during transactions.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Publishing Company Limited, Nana Kwesi Boatey, has revealed how he transformed a major overstaffing challenge into a success story through the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, November 2, Mr. Boatey disclosed that when he assumed office in February 2025, and inherited a bloated workforce of 250 employees doing work that could be efficiently handled by 150 people, a situation that created serious liquidity challenges for the state-owned company.
Instead of resorting to downsizing, he adopted an innovative approach by instituting a 24-hour operational system.
Under the new system, staff were redistributed across three shifts: 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and 10 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
This not only ensured optimal use of labour but also maximized machine utilization and improved overall output.
According to him, the single move redefined the productivity culture within the company, reinforcing discipline, accountability, and efficiency.
The Ghana Publishing Company’s turnaround is being cited as a practical example of how the 24-Hour Economy policy can drive growth without job losses.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
